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Physicians Immediate Care to begin curbside COVID-19 testing

Staff Report

ROCKFORD – Physicians Immediate Care, the largest urgent-care company in Illinois, will roll out Abbott Labs’ breakthrough rapid COVID-19 test within the week, the company announced Thursday.

Branded as Curbside Care the program gives patients enhanced screening for potential COVID-19 symptoms at the front entrance before they enter the clinic.

Under the program, a patient that passes screening is examined in the clinic, and a patient that fails screening is seen in their vehicle.

Physicians Immediate Care spokesmen said in conjunction with its safe treatment protocols across all types of visits–urgent care, occupational health, and physical therapy–it is the first urgent care in Illinois to deploy Abbott’s breakthrough rapid COVID-19 test.

“At Physicians Immediate Care, our purpose is remarkable care you can count on, when and where you need it. This breakthrough technology from Abbott fits perfectly with our mission to provide safe, high-quality care and almost immediate test results directly to the community through our convenient locations and outstanding clinical staff,” said Stan Blaylock, CEO of Physicians Immediate Care.  “Working with Abbott and our other strategic partners, our team is ready and well-equipped to take the battle against COVID-19 to the next level.”

Abbott’s rapid COVID-19 molecular point-of-care test runs on the company’s ID NOW platform and can deliver positive results in as little as five minutes. This breakthrough test enables Physicians Immediate Care to perform accurate testing in its convenient urgent care clinics, outside of hospitals and their over-burdened emergency rooms.

Physicians Immediate Care will begin testing patients within the week, starting with symptomatic healthcare workers and first responders with exposure.  The next priority will be patients that are at the highest risk, including those over 65 years of age with COVID-19 symptoms.

The company has been a partner with Abbott for several years, using the company’s ID NOW platform to test for influenza, strep, and RSV.  During the most recent flu season, Physicians Immediate Care performed over 40,000 rapid flu tests using the ID NOW technology. That experience enables Physicians Immediate Care to start testing immediately for COVID-19 in its clinics.

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